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What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Video Topic : Go deep inside your body to see how type 2 diabetes happens, what it does to your body-and what you can do about it. Diabetes expert Dr. David Katz of the Yale Prevention Research Center talks about the frightening future of diabetes: in just a few decades, one third of all Americans may have diabetes. See the pancreas, where insulin is produced. Real imaging data reveals the body's inner anatomy slice by slice, from brain to base of spine. Dr. Cynthia Geyer of Canyon Ranch talks about how insulin resistance develops. View its results, as visceral abdominal fat builds up and chokes the vital organs. Discover the symptoms of type 2 diabetes and find out if you should be tested. See the complications of diabetes, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, vision damage, kidney disease, and gangrene. The good news? Diabetes is a highly manageable disease. Dr. Mark Liponis of Canyon Ranch talks about controlling your risk for type 2 diabetes and, by managing it, reversing its symptoms and literally slowing the aging process.

Diabetes Type 2

Also called: Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes means your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. With type 2 diabetes, the more common type, your body does not make or use insulin well. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose get into your cells to give them energy. Without insulin, too much glucose stays in your blood. Over time, high blood glucose can lead to serious problems with your heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves, and gums and teeth.

You have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes if you are older, obese, have a family history of diabetes, or do not exercise. Having prediabetes also increases your risk. Prediabetes means that your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes appear slowly. Some people do not notice symptoms at all. The symptoms can include

Being very thirsty

Urinating often

Feeling very hungry or tired

Losing weight without trying

Having sores that heal slowly

Having blurry eyesight

A blood test can show if you have diabetes. Many people can manage their diabetes through healthy eating, physical activity, and blood glucose testing. Some people also need to take diabetes medicines.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Video Topic : Go deep inside your body to see how type 2 diabetes happens, what it does to your body-and what you can do about it.